1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates, in general, to an accelerator pedal apparatus for a vehicle in which, even when a hinge of a pedal pad is broken, the pedal can be operatively manipulated, thereby ensuring safe driving.
2. Description of Related Art
Generally, an accelerator pedal apparatus in a vehicle is divided, according to a mounting structure, into a pendant type accelerator pedal which is mounted suspended from a dashboard and an organ type accelerator pedal which is mounted to a floor panel.
In the case of an organ type accelerator pedal, a motion of a pad is the same as a motion of a driver's ankle, so that a driver can advantageously manipulate the organ type accelerator pedal more conveniently than a pendant type accelerator pedal.
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, an exemplary organ type accelerator pedal apparatus includes a pedal housing 1 which is fixedly mounted to a panel of a vehicle body (a floor panel) located below a driver seat; a pad 3, one end of which is connected to a pad-coupling part 1a of the pedal housing 1 via a hinge 2, so as to pivot via manipulation by a driver's foot; a pedal arm 5 which is disposed and mounted in an internal space 1b of the pedal housing 1 such that the pedal arm can pivot on a pivot axis 4 relative to the pedal housing 1; a carrier 6 which connects the pad 3 and one end of the pedal arm 5; and an elastic member 7 which is mounted to be supported, at both ends thereof, to the other end of the pedal arm 5 and an inner surface of the pedal housing 1, so as to provide an elastic restoring force to the pivot motion of the pedal arm 5.
However, in such an organ type accelerator pedal apparatus, since the hinge of the pad protrudes to the outside and a pad coupling which couples the pad is provided with a single hinge, if the hinge is broken, the pad cannot be supported by the hinge, adversely affecting the driving and thus possibly causing an accident. Thus, there is a need for a pedal structure which does not affect driving even upon breakage in the hinge of the pedal pad.
The information disclosed in this Background of the Invention section is only for enhancement of understanding of the general background of the invention and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that this information forms the prior art already known to a person skilled in the art.